Yesterday’s Sprint (don’t call it a race) set the grid for today, which started without ALO (DNS due to electronic issue) and with ZHO in the pit lane (engine cut out on the formation lap), but ended with PER moving up from P15 to P5 and VET retiring the Aston Martin.
Grid: VER, LEC, SAI, RUS, PER, OCO, MAG, HAM, SCH, BOT, NOR, RIC, STR, ZHO, GAS, ALB, TSU, LAT, VET, ALO
Since then, VET was “handed suspended €25,000 fine for walking out of drivers’ briefing” [F1]; BOT was going to start from P20 after power unit upgrades [F1] so Alfa Romeo also changed his rear wing specification and his rear suspension and now he will start from the pit lane.
Revised grid: VER, LEC, SAI, RUS, PER, OCO, MAG, HAM, SCH, NOR, RIC, STR, ZHO, GAS, ALB, TSU, LAT, VET, ALO; BOT in the pit lane
Mercedes mechanics are working on HAM’s brakes on the grid… and somehow they’ve completed reassembling them in time
Everyone clears the grid
Looks like everyone’s starting on medium compound tyres except ZHO, TUS, VET and ALO
VER leads everyone (except BOT) around on the formation lap
Lots of orange smoke in the grandstands – that’s got to be annoying for anyone trying to see (or shoot) the race!
ALO has a problem in the final
01/71: SAI runs wide in Turn 1
PER and RUS tap wheels… and a second time; PER spins
02: VER, LEC, SAI, RUS, OCO, MAG, HAM, SCH, RIC, NOR
Incident involving TSU and ALB noted for pit-to-car comms on the formation lap
PER pits; damage to a sidepod; hard tyres go on
03: DRS enabled
04: LEC fastest lap 1:09.928
Replay of the start; PER was slightly ahead on the outside of RUS but PER squeezed RUS before there was contact
05/71: VER, LEC, SAI, RUS, OCO, MAG, HAM, SCH, NOR, RIC
HAM struggles out of Turn 1; SCH steals P7
07: BOT pits
08: LEC has DRS behind VER
VER laps teammate PER
10/71: VER, LEC, SAI, RUS, OCO, MAG, SCH, HAM, NOR, RIC
LEC takes a look but VER closes the door
5sec penalty for RUS for causing the collision with PER
12: RUS pits from P4; serves his 5sec penalty; new front wing; hard tyres go on; rejoins P19
LEC dives inside VER and takes P1
13: VER pits from P2; hards go on; rejoins P8
15/71: HAM takes P5 from SCH
NOR pits from P8; hards; rejoins P13 just ahead of teammate RIC
HAM passes the other Haas (MAG) for P4
17: OCO and SCH pit
18: VER closing on HAM
Black and white flag for PER for exceeding track limits
VER takes a look but HAM defends P3
VER has DRS so steams past the Mercedes to take P3
19: ALO catches up to the TSU/ZHO battle over P6
20/71: LEC, SAI, VER, HAM, STR, TSU, ZHO, ALO, OCO, VET, MAG, NOR, SCH, RIC, ALB, GAS, RUS, BOT, LAT, PER
VER f/lap 1:09.895
21: Radio for SAI, “Plan E for Echo”
23: VER f/lap 1:09.846
OCO inside ZHO for P7
OCO now dives past TSU for P6
24: ALO now lining up to pass ZHO… but while they fight, MAG passes ALO for P8
25/71: LEC, SAI, VER, HAM, STR, OCO, TSU
The battle behind TSU is wheel to wheel, sometimes 3-abreast
26: PER pits again; retires
27: LEC pits from P1; hards go on; rejoins P3
28: SAI pits from P1; hards; rejoins P4, behind HAM who has yet to pit
SCH passes NOR for P8 but NOR feels SCH moved under braking
29: LEC f/ap 1:08.984
HAM pits from P3; bit slow on the front right; rejoins P6 just inches behind OCO
30/71: VER, LEC, SAI, STR, OCO, HAM, MAG, SCH, NOR, RUS
STR pits from P4
HAM inside OCO into Turn 3; takes P4
32: LEC closing the gap to VER – just about a second
LEC now has DRS
33: GAS given 5sec penalty for exceeding track limits
LEC easily takes P1 from VER
Black and white flag for NOR for exceeding track limits
SCH takes P6 from teammate MAG
35/71: LEC, VER, SAI, HAM, OCO, SCH, MAG, NOR, RUS, RIC, ALB, GAS, BOT, VET, STR, ALO, TSU, ZHO, LAT; out: PER
NOR given 5sec penalty for exceeding track limits
SAI starting to reel in VER
Half distance
36: SAI takes P2 from VER
37: VER pits from P3; more hard tyres go on; rejoins still P3
38: RUS closing on NOR
39: ZHO’s turn to get a 5sec penalty for exceeding track limits
40/71: LEC, SAI, VER, HAM, OCO, SCH, MAG, NOR, RUS, RIC
VET off into the gravel at Turn 4 but digs himself out; rejoins P17
Replay shows VET was going around the outside of GAS
41: RUS pits from P9; hards; rejoins PP14
NOR inside MAG to take P7
42: 5sec penalty for GAS for causing the collision with VET
MAG pits; rejoins P13
43: Black and white flag for HAM for exceeding track limits
GAS pits; serves his penalty
44: SCH and NOR pit
45/71: LEC, SAI, VER, HAM, OCO, RIC, ALO, STR, SCH, RUS
RUS takes P9 from SCH… and then inside STR but he defends P8… but RUS attacks again and takes the place
OCO and RIC pit
46: SCH passes STR but the Canadian reclaims P8
47: NOR takes P12 from TSU
TSU pits, as does ZHO
48: MAG blasts past STR for P9
49: OCO on new tyres unlaps himself
50/71: LEC pits from P1; hard tyres; rejoins P3
Radio from LAT reporting he can’t turn in Turn 9
51: SAI pits from P1; hards; rejoins P3
So now VER is P1 again but both Ferraris have passed him today
LAT pits; retires
52: HAM pits from P4; medium tyres go on; rejoins P4
Race control report GAS has failed to serve his penalty
LEC has DRS behind VER
53: VER defends but LEC takes P1
Radio from VER whining about a lack of traction
54: SAI now closing on VER
55/71: LEC, VER, SAI, HAM, OCO, RUS, ALO, SCH, MAG, NOR, RIC, ALB, BOT, GAS, STR, TSU, ZHO, VET; out: LAT, PER
56: SAI f/lap 1:08.649
57: SAI has DRS behind VER
Smoke from SAI’s engine!
SAI coasts to the side, pulls off the track
The Ferrari is on fire and rolling backwards down the hill; just one marshal with an extinguisher but he can’t decide whether to try to stop the car rolling or put the fire out
58: VSC deployed
LEC and VER pit
59[VSC]: VSC ending
60/71: LEC, VER, HAM, OCO, RUS, SCH, MAG, NOR, RIC, ALB, BOT, GAS, STR, ALO, ZHO, TSU, VET; out: SAI, LAT, PER
61: RUS right on OCO’s rear wing
Radio from LEC reports his throttle pedal “feels a bit strange”
62: VER f/lap 1:07.804
RUS takes P4 from OCO
63: VER f/lap 1:07.275
NOR around MAG to take P7
64: BOT closing on ALB
65/71: LEC, VER, HAM, RUS, OCO, SCH, NOR, MAG, RIC, ALB
66: Ferrari confirm to LEC that his throttle pedal isn’t lifting up properly
67: LEC laps NOR in P7
VER pushing hard but the gap is 2.9sec
68: ALO takes P11 from ALB
ALO under investigation for a potential release in unsafe condition
69: LEC reports “the downshifts are refused”, presumably because there’s too many revs
70/71: LEC, VER, HAM, RUS, OCO, SCH, NOR, MAG, RIC, BOT, ALO, ALB, STR, ZHO, GAS, VET, TSU; out: SAI, LAT, PER
71: VER just over 2sec behind LEC
ALO takes P10 from BOT
LEC takes the chequered flag
Provisional result: LEC, VER*, HAM, RUS, OCO, SCH, NOR, MAG, RIC, ALO; BOT, ALB, STR, ZHO, GAS, TSU, VET
DNF: SAI, LAT, PER
*Fastest lap: VER 1:07.275
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